eBay to Roll Out Guaranteed Delivery for 20 Million Items

by: RL15

you asked, we listened!! we found a new way to screw sellers!!

idiots. they keep getting dumber by the day.

by: Marie

@rexford

Why is it that you feel I've lost the right to post on a blog here or voice my opinion?  I realize that I upset you on a different blog and I've said several times now that I never intended to do that and that I was sorry it had that affect on you.

It is my opinion that if a seller decides to opt into this program it is their decision to make, but then don't cry about the rules you must adhere to within the program. Don't opt in unless you understand and are willing to adhere to the rules, it is as simple as that.  This may work well for some sellers, I'm certainly not one of them, but then I won't be opting into the program so I don't need to be concerned about the rules of the program.

@pace
Opting in has everything to do with the policy.  If you don't want to participate, you don't have to.  I know I won't, but that is just the decision I have made for myself.

I'm of the opinion that the boosts that Ebay offers in searches for whatever reason they give really doesn't help the average seller that much.  Again, just my opinion.  

There has been times I've lost my TRS status for whatever reason there may have been at the time and I actually saw an increase in sales not a decrease.  I've known other sellers that have said the same thing.

So I don't know whatever boost they give sellers that participate in this program is a real problem for the rest of us.  Something to remember, these boosts can only happen if a buyer is searching by Best Match.  I think there are lots and lots of buyers out there that do not use Best Match as there search return preference.

I think the bigger problem on Ebay is the hidden listings, not some boost in the Best Match returns.  

I do agree with you that the searches should just be organic.  But Ebay certainly has a different view of that.  For them it seems the more complicated the better.

by: pace306

:) Marie

the problem is that "no one knows".

Since eBay lies 24/7, theres no way to know what opting IN or OUT does to ones listings.

But knowing eBay like I do, the "you dont really have to" means you do - and we will punish you if you DONT - just like with 30 day returns and "fast n free shipping".

I gave up my TRSP as well - I could only eat "so many" fraud issues with returns. My "selling partner" (you know - the one that gives out $23 million dollar parachutes to people that ruin companies) told me when I had issues ... STFU - in those words. "Too bad, take the loss".

Im NOT a junk yard, flea market seller (not that theres anything wrong with it). I sell NIB items PERIOD. If you cant figure out what I sell - then install someone that reads English and understands ecommerce (so that means no one currently @ eBay).

If I send you an apple, then gd da_m it, thats what I should get back - IN THE CONDITION I SENT IT.

Im tired of taking losses because Devin Wenig got a bug up his @$$ about something stupid.

Yes - Im free to leave - but thats like saying since I have an issue with Coke, I wont drink Pepsi. You need another place besides Amazon and like it or not - the thieves in  San Jose are #2.

I was just invited to join Walmart .... and thats the BEST revenge I could ever get on eBay (besides the off eBay sales I make from time to time). EVERY dime I can take FROM eBay, is a score, a win - even if it doesnt benefit me directly.

by: Rexford

Marie,

First of all, you've never upset me. That actually made me laugh.  I might disagree with folks on blogs but I don't get upset. People on blogs don't have that kind of power over me.

Moderation is the key. Not every post needs a response. Bitbybit's certainly didn't. You read a lot into that post.  

You mention "right to post" and "voice opinion".  No, you have not lost that right but you must remember that everyone else has that right too, and without being "corrected".

by: iheartjacksparrow

Like with most of eBay's schemes, I mean programs, there will be a "glitch" at some point prior to the holiday selling season where all sellers find that they've been swept into Guaranteed Delivery without their knowledge. And with all the delivery chaos that ensues around that time, buyers are going to be so happy to get all their shipping costs back.

by: Marie

@pace306

I don't choose to worry about all the What Ifs of a newly announced policy.  For me my first priority is to learn what the policy is and go from there.  You are correct, there are things that the future will bring that we just don't know about at this point.  But since I don't know what those future changes might be, I don't worry about them or speculate on them.  I have plenty to deal with learning and navigating the minefield of active rules / policies.

I know you are just trying to suggest certain things that may come from this new policy, I get that.  I'm just saying for me, I have enough to deal with the current ones, so I'll deal with the speculations if they ever come into being.

''But knowing eBay like I do, the ''you dont really have to'' means you do - and we will punish you if you DONT - just like with 30 day returns and ''fast n free shipping''.''  I don't see this in the same way you do.  So we just disagree.

Being TRS Plus isn't for everyone nor should it be.  There are lots and lots of good sellers that are not TRS Plus.  There is nothing wrong with that at all.  It is a choice each of us has the ability to make.  Do you want to comply with the requirements or not?  That is a choice for each of us to make.  There is no right or wrong answer to that.

@rexford

I'm very glad to hear I did not upset you.  I was concerned.

I didn't comment on every post made and when you reprimanded me for being what you feel is a ''moderator'', I had only posted one other time on the blog.  There were other posters that had a couple posts as well.  I simply asked a question or two.  That was correcting nothing, that was asking questions. I meant no disrespect to you or bitbybit.

by: Snapped

''I won't be opting into the program so I don't need to be concerned about the rules of the program.''

I understand the premise stated, but can't agree.  Why?  Simply because, as was stated elsewhere, ''...theres no way to know what opting IN or OUT does...''.  Not on eBay.  

Of course, there ARE sellers who need not be concerned one bit about this - those would be the vast numbers of EX-eBay sellers.  In fact, they may see this as yet another advantage to THEIR future success since eBay never HAS had it 'together' for over a decade now.

And while it's also generally 'healthier' to deal in reality v. speculation, given the (typically eBay) method or rolling out these incessant 'program du jours', whereby even their own STAFF responsible for simply  communicating the 'realities' of the program is more chaotic than our current federal administration, then the reality is, speculation is all there is left.  

So then, under a premise of 'only reality matters', I would think it fair to ask (and would expect an eBay answer to): What exactly WILL be the impact of opting out of shipping guarantees by proxy?  And why isn't THAT information an inherent part of the announcement from the onset?

That's also applicable for 'opting out' of TRS for that matter.  Especially since the 'reality' of the program has changed from being an endorsement by buyers (to benefit other buyers), to an endorsement by eBay, to benefit only eBay.

One thing I think CAN be guaranteed though.  Based on ALL past history for EVERY new eBay program, it will be applied unevenly, it will be applied incompetently, and sellers - all sellers - will suffer for it, despite any participation desires.  Because sellers - all sellers, are paying for it one way or another.

And that doesn't even address how often eBay has (ahem) 'glitched' to AUTOMATICALLY opt IN sellers to program promotions the seller wanted no part of.  That's a 'reality' too.

Sidebar: Every Amazon package carries a note on the address lable: Carrier Leave If No Response.  Meaning: Free (no questions) item replacement on any claim of no receipt.  One can only speculate the impacts if (when?) eBay mandates the same...to be 'competitive'. 'Options' notwithstanding.

File under Reality Bytes.  (Not a typo).

by: handmedownheaven

Yea this is going to work out real good.  I had a package arrive today that according to fee bay was going to be here 10 days ago.  Not the sellers fault.  New York to Georgia via Arizona because the post office sent it to the wrong location.

by: Jester

You can participate in this program and reduce your risk by offering very inexpensive shipping and building the part that isn't covered into the price of the item.

For instance, I sell jeans and the cost of the shipping is $5.75 to $6.30 mostly. So I charge $1.99 shipping, or less and up the price the difference. I am then on the hook for $1.99 or less and half that if eBay splits the cost.

by: Marie

Actually there is no need to offer inexpensive shipping.  According to some posts on the Ebay boards by Ebay employees, if a seller is offer free shipping and if their tracking was validated within their stated handling time, Ebay will be refunding the customer for shipping if the shipment arrives late.

There apparently are two different ways to opt into this program.

You can opt in for shipping and handling time only if you offer 0-1 days S&H.

Or you can opt in for D2D [door to door].  This one is more complicated and risky as you are guaranteeing it will arrive on time.

Ebay will be offering search filters that allow listing that are taking part in this program to be seen more easily.  But if buyers are doing a regular search, it has no net affect according to the CSRs that were on the Ebay threads the last few days.

by: mcfiver

The good folks at eBay headquarters must be sniffing glue. How else to explain this latest round of 'guaranteed delivery' company-speak?

First, as a vintage goods seller, my job is to present our items accurately, with excellent photos, then, if sold & paid, to ship ASAP and communicate that to the buyer. "Your package has shipped." No too complicated.

But to guarantee shipping time? Even with all the tracking bells and whistles? Absolutely ridiculous. Absurd. Or just plain sniffing-glue nuts. Why? Because once we drop the package off to the post office, our control is gone. We've done our job and as long as there's an acceptance scan, we've done our best. But

But what about the shipping time on Priority Mail shipping labels that say in big block letters "2 DAY DELIVERY"???
"Oh," we were told, "it's not guaranteed, it's simply our goal to deliver it within that time frame."

So, all of this talk about guaranteed delivery is garbage. More silly main-office smoke and mirrors, Wall Street hype, to justify their corporate existence, made by folks who've never sold a thing online because they have so much money, they don't need to.

by: HardWorkingSeller

I will participate in this voluntary program.  I'm already offering same day shipping with a noon cut off so I'm doing the hard part already.  If eBay wants to give me more exposure in a way that won't cost me anything then I'm up for that.

To make the most of the program, I'll need to go through my listings which are mostly set for free FedEx Ground shipping and add some faster calculated (paid) options such as FedEx 2-Day, Overnight and Priority Mail.  So there's a risk that I'll do that work and not get any incremental sales.

But given that the most common message I get via ASQ (other than unsolicited best offers which get ignored by me) is ''can I pay more and get it faster?'', there are clearly situations where time is of the essence and in my experience those folks will pay whatever FedEx charges for meeting their required delivery date.

I bend Hal's ear any chance I can get to complain that eBay is engaged in a race to the bottom on price eg. by cluttering my listings with eBay's clumsy cross-selling of inferior offerings from other sellers and mis-using the catalog to come up with a bogus ''trending'' price point that pays no attention to the quality of the item or the seller.  So at last here's an initiative that's about competing on something other than being the cheapest (which is never where I'm at) so I'll support it.

If no-one else here likes the idea then I like it even more.

by: pebbles

This really stinks for sellers who live in remote areas with tons of inclement weather. We never get considerations for blizzards, massive wildfires or floods in Wyoming as it is. Nor do we get considerations for Denver's weather despite Denver being or central hub. This new shipping policy is going to give the already rampant butter fraud more leverage. Yet another poor decision made by eBay.

by: pebbles

*buyer (not butter lol!)

by: dmg61

The inanity continues. I've got a lot of experience shipping, and the first thing I can tell you is you can never guarantee shipping days unless you ship Express, which has insane costs for most of my products. All I did on eBay, besides continually cutting down the merchandise I sell on there, was increase my handling days to four instead of one. Covering myself.

FeelingFroggy got it right. If someone wants to pressure me into getting stuff in 1-2 days they are trouble.

Trouble like what eBay has become.

by: spooky

this is eBay being Amazon, sure sounds OK if you are buying a phone charger or a kitchen widget but this would be insane to apply to the antiques and collectibles market which is where eBay was founded.

by: Sierra

pace306 wrote:
''... did eBay work out an AMAZON deal with USPS to insure that eBay labeled products get priority handling?''

Well, that would explain the eBay branded shipping supplies, wouldn't it?  

by: iheartjacksparrow

I bought an item located in China (sorry, but all the best Pokemon stuff is sold from China) which shipped on February 2nd. It then disappeared until March 12th when it showed up in a Los Angeles sort facility and was listed as being "in transit" with a delivery date of March 13th. It disappeared again until it was actually delivered on March 21st. If the USPS takes nine days to deliver something across one county, I fear for all the sellers who are shipping across the country.

by: Sierra

@Jack, I'm in northern California and much of what I sell online gets to the East Coast in 2 or 3 days via First Class or Priority Mail; there's not much difference.

by: Marie

Learning more about this program through this blog and the ones on Ebay I've changed my original opinion of this program.  I may opt into one of the options on this program.  The one that is just for 0-1 S&H time.

My thinking on this is that I currently do this for TRS Plus and it has not been a huge problem for me to accomplish this the vast majority of the time.  I don't have a problem with getting my things scanned in by USPS on time either.

I also carry a mixture of listings that are stated shipping charges and free shipping.  On the Free shipping listing there is no risk at all for me to opt into this program.  Not all my listings do well with free shipping, but I have more that I could move in that direction too, so I'll be considering that as well.

For sellers that are currently adhering to the TRS Plus rules, this may be a viable option for them as well.